I’m working remotely at the Starbucks in Hammond this morning, sitting with my computer at the big table near the door. I noticed him as soon as he shuffled in, the bent old man with the WW2 cap pulled low on his forehead. He came and sat across from me…

-Is that thing hard to operate?
-No, Sir, not really. But I’ve been doing it so long I don’t really think about it.
-I was a construction supervisor, traveled all over the country, could build anything, but I don’t know how to work a computer.
-Well, I can’t build anything, so I guess we’re even. I see your hat… where did you serve ?
-I was in the Pacific, on the USS Tennessee.

I closed the computer.

-I was an electrician. I went in in 1943. We were in Saipan, then Okinawa. Got hit twice. The first time it was a 5mm shell that came right into one of the gun turrets. 15 guys in there. The only one that survived was an officer that got knocked down when it hit. You ever been in a creek bottom at night with lightning bugs? That’s what he said it looked like… a thousand lightning bugs, all that shrapnel. That’s what got them. I had to rewire that room after we got hit. The second time, it was a a kamikaze. They would come in groups. We fought off 6 of them, but the last one got us. It took out 24 of our guys.

I leaned forward on the table.

-What was that like, going from Texas to the Navy? Was it hard to get used to the ship?
-Well, I didn’t really have much of a problem. Got kind of woozy the first day, but I went and laid down for about 30 minutes and I was alright. We had one Chief Petty Officer had been in the Navy for 27 years. Every time we’d be in port for more than two weeks, he’d be right up there with the new guys, puking his guts out. We gave him a lot of shit for that!

-When I got out, I came back home to Texas and didn’t have a girlfriend. So I asked my cousin if she knew anybody. She gave me a phone number and I almost threw it away, but I said, Hell, JC, take a chance. So I called her on January 2, 1945 for our first date on January 4th, 1945. Drove out there, knocked on the door. Prettiest girl I ever seen. I married her 4 days later. I’m 90, she’ll be 90 on December 14. If we both live that long we’ll be married for 70 years in January. She’s off with my daughter-in-law spending my money! How long you been married ?
-22 years.
-It’s hard to find a good woman, but when you do, you got to take care of her.
-Yes, Sir. I know.
-We used to square dance. You ever square dance ?
-Once or twice at social things.
-You can’t drink and square dance. If they smell it on you, they won’t dance with you. Just leave you standing there by your damn self.
-Haha. I bet.

He went on to tell me about his adventures working construction around the country, living in Arizona and California and arguing with the Secret Service when he lived on a farm near Reagan’s ranch and they wouldn’t let his wife back into their property.
-I’m surprised they didn’t put me in jail, but goddamn it the bastards wouldn’t let her go back to her own damn house!

He took a final swig of his coffee, put his cup back down on the table.

-Well, young man, it’s been nice talking to you. You go home and tell your wife I’m sorry she’s married to you.
He winked at me and I smiled.
-Yes, Sir. I absolutely will.

-Oh, and take her some flowers. Women love that. It’s hard to find a good woman. I know how lucky I am.

-Yes, Sir. So am I. So am I.

January 2015 : posted 26 August 2016